Finnair unveils its new A350 cabin

The Airbus aircraft will be introduced into the national carrier’s fleet next year.

The 297-seat configuration has 46 seats in business class, 43 in Economy Comfort and 208 in economy.

Business: The cabin is fitted with 46 Zodiac Cirrus III seats

The 46 seats in business are in a 1-2-1 configuration. As expected, the new seating is the Zodiac Cirrus III seat that is also fitted on American Airlines and Cathay Pacific aircraft and is being introduced on the Air France fleet.

It should be noted, however, that although the seat is similar to the business class offerings onboard these carriers, Finnair has chosen a tighter configuration with less legroom — 78 inches when fully reclined, in comparison with 82 inches onboard Cathay Pacific.

Legroom is therefore tight, and you certainly would have to remove shoes to recline the seat to fully-flat or even partly fully-flat.

Tight legroom: The business seat is 78 inches when fully reclined

The Zodiac Cirrus III seats have been modified for Finnair passengers, the airline said.

They offer:

Direct access to the aisle from every seat

A 16-inch multi-touch screen with audio and video on demand

Wifi

Lumbar support and numerous stowages

Large meal and cocktail tables

AC and USB power outlets

Business seats all have direct access to the aisle

Business class: The cabin is convertible, meaning that the second cabin could be converted from business to economy comfort seating according to seasonal demand

There are up to 40 Economy Comfort seats in a 3-3-3 configuration and with a 35-inch pitch.

These seats feature:

Up to four inches more legroom and a comfier headrest

High-quality headphones and personal amenity kit

Priority boarding

And there are 208 seats in economy, also configured in a 3-3-3 layout. These are Zodiac Z300 slim-line seats with a 31 to 32-inch pitch and a six-inch recline.

Features include:

An 11-inch multi-touch screen with audio and video on demand and journey-related services

Wifi

Additional wireless inflight entertainment services available for own devices

The design has been created by Helsinki firm dSign Vertti Kivi & Co, which also oversaw Finnair’s new Premium Lounge at Helsinki Airport.

Designer Vertti Kivi said: “We have worked hard to create a special customer experience onboard the new A350XWB aircraft and are proud to bring Finnish design to Finnair’s passengers.

“Our Space Alive concept means dynamic lighting, colours and moods to suit the time of day, destination or season. For example, when descending in the East the aircraft can be awash in warm orange tones, or surface interiors may glow in fresh blue hues when arriving in Helsinki.”

The A350 also features an advanced pure air filtration system that changes the air in the cabin every two-to-three minutes, draft-free air management, adjustable multiple temperature zones and a lower cabin pressure.

Finnair plans to begin operating its first A350s in the second half of next year, initially serving Shanghai, Bangkok and Beijing, with A350 service to Hong Kong and Singapore to be added in 2016.

The airline has 11 firm orders and eight options for A350 aircraft, which will form the backbone of the company’s long-haul fleet and drive expansion plans.